Colonial Geography
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PART I: Colonial Africa
MAP 1: African Political Entities Before the Scramble
MAP 2: Africa, 1914 - After the Scramble for Africa
Today
Cartoon
Questions:
1. What is the main difference between Maps 1 and 2 above?
2. What part did the Berlin Conference play in the creation of Map 2?
3. What happened to the native African political entities by 1914?
4. According to Map 2, which two European countries held the most territory in Africa?
5. According to Map 2, which two African countries remained independent of European rule?
6. Now compare Map 2 to a contemporary map of Africa, located here. How did the Scramble for Africa in
the 1800s and 1900s affect the current borders of Africa?
7. Examine the cartoon titled "The Mad Scramble for Africa." Write a paragraph analysis of it. Be very specific
in the analysis, explaining not only the main message of the cartoon, but also each of the figures present in
it. You may want to refer to Map 2 to help you make sense of why the countries are located where they are.
PART II: Colonial Asia
Questions:
1. (a) Which western nation governed India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in 1914?
(b) Which other countries in Asia did this western nation govern?
2. Which countries did France govern?
3. (a) Which Asian nation was an imperialist power itself in 1914?
(b) Which countries did this Asian nation control?
4. Which countries on a contemporary map of the Middle East did the Ottoman Empire control in 1914?
(You may want to click here to see a contemporary map of the Middle East)
5. Examine the map of China and answer the following questions:
(a) What is a "sphere of influence"?
(b) Which countries had spheres of influence in China in 1910?
(c) Why didn't the United States have a sphere of influence? (This answer is not evident in the map itself ...
think back to the history of the United States and China in 1899)
PART III: Decolonization
Questions:
1. In which decades did the majority of countries in Africa and Asia obtain their independence?
2. (a) Which countries in Africa and Asia obtained their independence before 1945? (Hint: I see 7 countries.)
(b) Do some additional web research: For one of these countries, find the date of independence, and the
(b) Do some additional web research: For one of these countries, find the date of independence, and the
reason for independence.
3. (a) Which countries remained colonies ("dependent states") in 1968? (Hint: I see 10 countries.)
(b) Do some additional web research: Find the dates of independence for three of these countries.
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